Manchester United are considering introducing a Personal Seat Licence (PSL) system at their new 100,000-seater stadium which would see supporters pay thousands before having to cough up separately for their season tickets.
A personal seat license, or PSL, is a paid license that entitles the holder to the right to buy season tickets for a certain seat in a stadium.
The system is popular in America and is often used to help fund stadium construction, but United have faced heavy backlash after the Daily Mail claimed on Thursday that they are considering the controversial move at their new £2bn home.
As per the report, the ‘Personal Seat Licence’ system was one of a number of proposals presented to fans by US-based consultants CSL International.
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In short, fans who could pay up to £4,000 for PSL would have 'first refusal' on the seat for the next 30 years, but crucially, they would automatically lose the licence should they fail to buy a season ticket.
United are said to be at an exploratory stage regarding the move and officials say no final decisions have been made, but the news has been met with a largely negative reaction from fans.
One wrote: "This seat license story from United is very concerning. Big thing in the NFL, you basically pay thousands of pounds for a license to hold a seat in the ground but you still pay season ticket costs every year."
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A second commented: "It alienates a big portion of the fanbase. Your average family could never afford that, nor could Steve the bricklayer. They will really piss off the fanbase with moves like that. There are many other ways to make money."
A third said: "This, for me, is every bit as cynical as the Super League betrayal. It’s another calculated push to edge out fans who’ve followed the club for generations. Same greed, same contempt - just a different means of doing it. Football authorities need to stop this."
A fourth wrote: "Not the same club anymore is it," and a fifth added: "This is disgraceful. I hope it doesn't happen. Otherwise, it may encourage other clubs to do the same."
NFL example of Personal Seat Licence (PSL) system
To help fund their $1.2 billion stadium, NFL side the Dallas Cowboys introduced what is known as one of the most expensive PSL programs. In fact, at one stage, seat licenses ranged from $2,000 to $150,000 depending on location, according to CBS.
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The tickets themselves, meanwhile, were said to cost up to $340 each.
"The prices drew so much backlash that the team ran an ad campaign emphasising tickets were available for less than people thought," the report from 2009 said. "They must have worked because the team says about 95 percent of its club and reserved tickets are sold, and about 280 of the roughly 320 luxury suites were sold."
Back in March, United announced plans to build a new 100,000-capacity stadium in the Old Trafford area, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe stating it will be a “truly state-of-the-art stadium” that could be a “catalyst” for change.
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As per Manchester United's official website, the stadium and wider regeneration project has the potential to deliver an additional £7.3 billion per year to the UK economy, bringing large-scale social and economic benefits to the community and wider region.
The plan also includes the possible creation of 92,000 new jobs, more than 17,000 new homes and additional 1.8 million visitors annually.
“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford,” said Ratcliffe.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport.
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“By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home."
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League, Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Jack Kenmare